Iowa Snapshot
1,323
Public Schools in Iowa
75
Colleges in Iowa
58.6%
Avg Completion Rate
How Iowa compares
Iowa
58.56%
National Average
56.52%
Iowa's avg completion rate is 3.6% higher than the national average.
Iowa Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for Iowa — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
10 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Sep 15
Homeschool Regulation
Notice plus testing or subjects required
School Choice
Students First ESA (2023) — universal
Per-Pupil Spending
11% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
6% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in Iowa
Iowa requires school attendance from age 6 through age 16 — a total of 10 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in Iowa, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Sep 15.
Homeschool Laws in Iowa
Iowa falls in the moderate regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Notice plus testing or subjects required.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: Yes
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Annual assessment or portfolio; CPI option has fewer reqs
School Choice in Iowa
Iowa offers universal school choice — any K-12 student is eligible regardless of income or zoning.
- Education Savings Account (ESA)
Students First ESA (2023) — universal
School Spending & Class Size in Iowa
Iowa spends $13,549 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 11% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 13.6:1. 6% below national avg (14.5).
How Iowa compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about Iowa
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in Iowa.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in Iowa?
Mubboo tracks 970 ZIP codes in Iowa via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does Iowa's average college completion rate compare nationally?
Iowa's average college completion rate is higher the national average. See the "How Iowa compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →